| Description: |
Excerpt: "In the early morning of January 6, 1950, a heavy snow was falling and the thermometer registered 10 below zero (F). A freight train was standing at the Fassiferne passing track waiting for the East bound passenger train from Nelson. A 'pusher' engine had just been switched from the siding to the main line to make its run back to Cranbrook ahead of the passenger train. When the brakeman threw the switch back, in the blinding snow and cold, he failed to notice that the switch was not locked in the proper position. The crew of the freight train behind engine No. 3730 tried to keep warm as they waited for the expected passenger train. They couldn't see that the switch light shone red to the main line. Engineer Peter Linton, Conductor Charles Larsen, Fireman Hollis Hutton and Brakemen Phillip Rowan and Jack Myles were unaware of impending disaster. At 3:30 am, the piercing light of the passenger train punched a dancing beam through the raging snowstorm. Too late, engineer Killens hit the brakes as the passenger engine lurched over the switch to the siding hurtling straight into the standing freight train. A trainman jumped from the passenger engine to a car loaded with train wheels parked on the storage track. He broke both legs in the fall. Peter Linton and Jack Myles both lost their lives in the wreckage. No passengers were injured." |
